Deal of A Life Time
by LPI3
Summary: Sequel to Pressure. Five years after Draco was arrested, Hermione visits him on ministry business to offer him a deal that could save his life. ON HOLD
1. Its all in the Deal

Disclaimer- I do not own anything from Harry Potter. It all belongs to The Great J.K. Rowling.

A/N- Well here is the sequel of Pressure. Sorry it took a long time. Hope you all like it. LPI3

Hermione Granger looked up at the tall building in front of her. Its dark shadow cast upon all of the little land around it making the area seem even more cold and dark than it really was. The waves crashed against the pointed jagged rocks that surrounded the small island. If some brave witch or wizard tried to escape this island, they would first have to get past the deadly rocks and then swim for miles in the cold ocean until they would reach land. And only one wizard had ever done that to Hermione's knowledge.

She gritted her teeth and trudged into the miserable looking prison. She was on a mission and she wasn't going to let her nerves or feelings get in the way of what she had to do.

_"Minister, might I have a word with you?" Hermione jumped from her seat behind her desk when the Minister of Magic walked by. He seemed to be in a hurry, but since she was his best Auror, he always made time for her._

_"Certainly, Ms. Granger, how can I help you?" The minister asked with a smile slowing down his pace so Hermione could catch up._

_"Well, sir, it's about the murders that have started taking place again, the ones caused by the surviving Death Eaters."_

_"I assure you Ms. Granger, we have every possible Auror on the case to find them." _

_"I understand, but I was thinking, why not use the Death Eaters we have in Azkaban to help us," The Minister stopped and looked at Hermione with a questioning stare, so she continued, "Maybe if we made a deal with them, they could help us find the others."_

_"You are suggesting we make a deal with a Death Eater to help us find their allies?" Hermione thought she heard a bit of a laugh in his statement._

_"Yes, sir, I think that-"_

_"No, Ms. Granger, it is too dangerous. We can't afford to take chances with the Death Eaters now that 'He Who Must Not Be Named' is gone." The Minister waved his hand to dismiss her, but Hermione was not ready to leave yet._

_"I know a Death Eater who would help us, no tricks." She hadn't wanted to say it, but if it was the only way she could be heard out, she had to say it. She had a plan and knew it could work._

_The minister turned to her, "You know a Death Eater that can help us track down the other Death Eaters?" Hermione nodded and the minister sighed before speaking, "Alright, I will take this matter up with the board in our meeting, if we think it's safe enough, then we will get you your Death Eater, but if not, I don't want to hear anymore fuss, understand?"_

_"Yes, sir, thank you." Hermione grinned as the minister walked away. Five years at the ministry and now she was starting to be taken seriously._

Hermione's answer had come the next morning. The minister told her that if she could get this Death Eater to help the ministry without causing any mayhem, then she was totally responsible for him and any mess-ups would cost her her job. However, she was confident that her plan would work.

"I am here to visit cell number 823 on ministry matters." She said coolly walking up to the desk where a tired looking man with sunken dark eyes and greasy matted hair sat.

He stared at her in her comfortably fitting dark suit and cloak and her frizzy hair up in a tight professional looking bun, as if wondering why a girl like her would be sent to a place like this. He shrugged and opened the bolted up door behind him that led into a darker hallway. "Two floors up and to your left," he said in a bored voice, "guards will be waiting there."

"Thank you." Hermione said and walked through the door. Each cell room had been double locked and bolted ever since the Dementors had left, escaping was much more common now, though never successful.

"820…821…" Hermione walked slower now as she neared the cell 823. She even considered going back to the ministry and telling them the plan wasn't going to work. She felt less confident now than she had felt thinking about the plan behind her desk. Maybe she should have brought Harry or Ron with her. "Snap out of it, Hermione, you can do this." She whispered to herself once she had approached the cell. Two big guards stood on either side of the door, wands drawn.

"I am here on ministry business to question this Death Eater." Hermione said holding out a roll of parchment the Minister and his board had signed. One of the men took it from her shaking hands and read it over before moving aside and unlocking the door with a jinx.

"We're right here Ms," The man said reassuringly and Hermione walked into the room and the door clicked shut behind her.

The room was quiet and dark, the walls damp and smelled of mildew and rot. There was a small barred window over a ripped and broken bed over in the corner, which was being occupied.

Hermione let out a small gasp and held her hand to her mouth. She couldn't believe he was even here, that she was here trying to get him out. The figure lying on the bed stirred and slowly sat up.

"Who's there?" Draco, the darkened figure whispered, tiredness and exhaustion in his voice.

Hermione couldn't speak; she opened and closed her mouth several times. She was shaking terribly and didn't know why.

Draco stood up from his bed and then Hermione could see him better though the darkness in the room was overwhelming. Draco looked skinnier then he had ever looked before, though tall still in stature. His hair down to his shoulders matted and tangled and darker looking, not the slicked back glowing blond it once was. His eyes were dark and lifeless as if this said he had given up long ago with living. "Hermione?"

Hermione closed her eyes and pushed out the reason she had come, "By order of the Ministry of Magic, I was sent here today to make you a deal."

Draco chuckled, something Hermione was sure he had not done in some time. "A deal? With the ministry? The same people who locked me up in this forsaken hole? Not interested."

"You look terrible, Draco." Hermione whispered more to herself.

Draco turned to face the window that barely showed the outside, "That happens in here, doesn't it? Lack of sleep, rotten food, locked up in a damp sick infested hole. This is nowhere a pureblood should be."

Hermione felt her cheeks flush pink he was starting to sound like his old Pureblood-loving-mudblood-hating self again, something she did not miss. "Maybe you want to hear the deal before you turn me down?"

Draco advanced slowly to her looking her over with his dead eyes, "You haven't changed much yourself." He smirked at her hair and suit.

"The ministry would like to offer you freedom in exchange for the locations and/or information on the Death Eaters still at large." Hermione continued ignoring his comments. She was certain that if she had not practiced this speech before hand she would have forgotten every word.

Draco paused, "You want me to turn in the other Death Eaters, and I go free?"

"Well, we have most of them in custody, but the ones still at large have been killing and terrorizing muggles and witches and wizards of the like." Hermione nodded, "And yes, the ministry is willing to set you free if you help us."

"My ministry pardon, huh," Draco seemed to consider this a moment and then shook his head, "Still not interested. I want more."

Hermione stood her ground, "No, that is all you get, take it or leave it." In her opinion, he was acting like a greedy child in a candy shop.

"Then I wont do it." Draco folded his arms across his chest also standing his ground.

Hermione bit her lip, "What sort of…things would you want?"

Draco shrugged, "I want all of this nonsense to be wiped from my record, I want my wand back," he paused, "And I want Potter to bow to me every time I enter the same room as him."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "You will be set free, isn't that good enough for you?"

"When has anything ever been good enough for me?" Draco asked, "Take it or leave it, Granger. You need me and I can help you so no more people get hurt." He said the last bit in a bit of a mocking tone.

Hermione considered this, surely the minister would allow her to call a few shots, "You will have you freedom, and your wand back. And I will talk to the minister about your records."

"And Potter?"

"Now you're just being stupid, Draco." Hermione scolded narrowing her eyes at him as he laughed.

"Of course, I wont be mean to your husband, it isn't fair of me." There was a hint of sarcasm and a hint of jealousy in his tone.

Hermione hesitated and then said, "Harry is not my husband, he and Ginny."

This statement made Draco pause a moment before smirking again, even more jealousy written in his sneer, "Then you and Weasel I assume."

"You assume wrong. Draco, I haven't married yet." Hermione could not see how any of this mattered, she wasn't about to take Malfoy back and she was sure he knew that too.

Draco said nothing for a moment but ran a hand through his grimy hair, "All I have to do is find you your Death Eaters?" Hermione nodded. "But why me, you have others who could help you, ones who would be more quicker at the chance of freedom than me."

"Well, for one, you once said that you didn't want to be a Death Eater, but your father made you," Draco grimaced at the mention of his father and Hermione continued, "And because I…I trust you."

Draco stared into her deep brown eyes, "and the minister is just going to let me go."

"Yes," Hermione said a bit impatiently, "if you say you will help us, otherwise, forget I was here." She turned to the door as if to say she was going to leave if he didn't answer quickly."

"Wait," He said grabbing her arm. She felt cold chills going through her body, unsure if she liked it or not, she yanked her arm away, "I'll do this, but there are still things I want to know."

Hermione grinned, "Thank you Draco, I'll just have a talk with the guards and we'll have this matter straightened out. Your questions will be answered once we are off of this dreadful island." She was much more cheerful as she spoke and was out of the room before Draco could change his mind.

Before he knew it, Draco and Hermione were standing outside the wind blowing fiercely and the waves sprinkling cold greenish water onto them. Hermione turned to him as he let the air hit him, enjoying the outside. "I need your word that you won't leave or escape."

Draco grinned and said nothing, but continued to stare around him.

"Draco, please!"

"If I was going escape, I would have already done it, and, I would have killed you before I did it." Draco looked seriously at her and then laughed at the look on her face.

"Alright then. Disapparate to the Leaky Cauldron, I am sure you still know how to do that?" Hermione said, but before she got her answer, Draco was gone and she soon followed too.

A/N- Alright chapter one! WHOOT! I am feeling good about this sequel; tell me what you all think. Review for Draco please! LPI3


	2. Traitor of a Man

A/N- Well, here's chapter 2, thank you to the reviews I got! FoggySkittlesX, tinydancer69, and fairy of Obsession a special thank you to you guys. I hope you like this chapter…. and if anything doesn't make sense, then might I suggest reading Pressure, it might clear some things up for you. Thanxs- LPI3

"So then, you really figured I would come with you?" Draco asked eyeing the ministry car parked just outside of The Leaky Cauldron.

"Of course, who wouldn't take an offer like that?" Hermione said matter-of-fact like.

Draco shrugged and followed Hermione into the car, pleased to get away from the crowded streets of nosey passersby. "Are you going to fill me in then?" he asked once they were seated across from each other comfortably and the car began to roll away.

"Well, first things first, I figured you would want to clean up a little," Hermione glanced at his shaggy hair and scratchy looking chin.

"Am I here to impress and make you look good?" Draco sneered leaning back in his seat.

"Of course not!" Hermione snapped, "I just…wanted you to feel comfortable is all."

Draco laughed, his hollow laugh, "Comfortable? I have never been comfortable about anything all my life," he paused and then gave Hermione a look that someone who has a secret might give to another who doesn't know the secret. "Well, maybe not my whole life."

Hermione coughed quietly into her hand, her face flushing a deep pink, "There is actually something I need to ask you, Draco, a favor if you will." Draco shrugged, "This was my idea to ask you help us, and the ministry wasn't to keen at first, with you being a Death Eater and all-"

"Is there a point to this?" Draco asked looking out of the darkened windows at the passing houses.

"I need you to be on your best behavior, or it'll cost me my job." Draco continued to stare out of the window as though he had not heard anything Hermione was saying. "Draco?"

"Yes, I heard you." Draco said impatiently, "You are starting to sound like you're my mother, telling me to be on my best behavior…I am not a child Granger."

"I am starting to wonder what exactly you are then," Hermione said matching Draco's impatient manner, "One moment you're gentle and sincere with me, and the next you have resorted to your old ways of mudblood and Granger!"

Draco narrowed his eyes, raising his voice he shouted, "Well, excuse me if I don't run to you with open arms the minute you come for me. Incase you have forgotten, you left _me_ to rot in that place, not the other way around!"

"You were a Death Eater, you killed people, what did you think I was going to do, set you free and run off with you and get married?" Hermione was shouting back.

"Yeah maybe I was, I would have done it for you!"

"You would not have, don't even play this game, Draco, you made it very clear to me that you didn't want me anymore." Hermione shut her mouth; her arms folded across her chest and turned to the window.

Draco was silent as well he glared at her for a moment before the car came to a halt. He pushed open the door and let Hermione step out first. She turned and looked at him, "don't worry," he said moodily as if reading her mind, "I will be on my best behavior…and I wont touch anything valuable." He added for a hint of sarcasm.

Three giant Aurors walked out of the Ministry, their wands drawn on Draco who merely stood still glaring at them. "We are here to escort Mr. Draco Malfoy to the interrogation room for further questioning by the Minister and board members." One of them said as the other two grabbed hold of either side of Draco, who didn't protest. Hermione figured he had protested for years and Azkaban finally wore him out to the point of no more fighting.

"First, I would like you to take Mr. Malfoy down to the spare rooms, let him get cleaned up and give him some new robes." Hermione said to the man who had spoken, who nodded and then turned with the others and marched Draco into the Ministry.

The interrogation room was uncomfortable to say the least. Hermione sat in a chair that would be next to the one Draco would be sitting in at the end of the long table. Ron and Harry where sitting further down the table glancing at each other and Hermione slightly nervous and angrily. The Minister was seated at the end of the opposite side tapping his fingers against the polished wood. Several other board members and Aurors were also present. It was clear that no one was thrilled about working with a Death Eater.

Then the door opened, all heads turned as Draco walked in accompanied by the three big Aurors. He was certainly looking somewhat better. His hair was cut and falling around his face, and it wasn't as dark looking as it had been, as though he had just had a shower, and he was shaven clean. His face was still hollow, his eyes still darkened and he looked malnourished, but at least he had clean robes on and looked better on the eyes.

Draco was seated next to Hermione who was given a look of confusion by both Ron and Harry. Draco noticed this and sneered at them both. Hermione flushed and looked down at her hands in her lap.

"Well now, Mr. Malfoy, I suspect Ms. Granger brought you up to speed with everything?" The minister asked standing up from his seat.

Draco glared at him, his upper lip curling in pure loathing, "yeah, somewhat." He said darkly.

The minister hesitated and then fidgeted his hands in his pockets, "We were hoping that everything would operate smoothly as long as you hold up your end of the bargain."

"Like wise."

"Yes, yes of course, you will have your freedom," the Minister glanced at Hermione, "and you wand and a clean record."

Draco smirked at Harry who gave him the look of utmost hatred in return, "Granger didn't tell you of my other request?"

"Draco!" Hermione scorned under her breathe. Draco frowned but said nothing after this.

There was a silence before the Minister continued, "Well then, we uh, will start sharing what we know so far and then, well…we'll go from there." He sat back down, "Harry?"

Harry hesitated before pushing a folder at Draco with a bit of force behind it, "Those are the other Death Eater _scum_ we have in custody." He indicated at Draco when he said this.

Draco opened the folder where several pages with pictures of different evil looking wizards and witches glared up at him. He flipped through the pictures staring carefully at each face. There was silence all around him. "Ah, I see you caught Bellatrix, what a shame, she was pretty good too…" he muttered a few comments about each of the Death Eaters before closing the folder again, "I see you haven't made much progress in this matter."

"We were doing just fine," Ron said angrily, his hands clenched so tight they were turning white.

"Clearly." Draco rolled his eyes.

"We would have caught more," Hermione said unexpectedly, "except we don't know who else are Death Eaters, we can never get there in time to catch them in the act."

"And that is where you come in," The Minister said indicating to Draco once more.

"So I will just tell you their names and I can be getting on my way then?"

The Minister hesitated, "Not quite, we may need further help with capturing these people."

Draco slowly nodded, "fine then, I'll tell you who you still need, though I'm too sure where to find a few of them."

"That will be plenty helpful enough." The Minister said a hint of disappointment was written on his face.

"Macnair." Draco began. Several Aurors pulled out quills and parchment and began scribbling, "He'll be at his mansion in Kingsley-"

"We tried him there, the place was abandoned." Harry said frowning at Draco.

"Did you try in the secret cellar beneath the floorboards?" Draco asked tilting his head glaring at Harry, "No, of course not. There's a charm placed inside of the house so no intruder can find him in there if he doesn't want to be found. He's there, the old man never liked leaving his possessions for too long; they are too valuable to him."

Draco continued leaning back in his chair, "Nott, he's a tricky man, never in the same place for more than a few days, but he hates the cold and won't leave the country. My guess is he's somewhere down south traveling from pub to pub."

The meeting continued. Draco gave more names and the Aurors took more notes. Draco was finally silent after two hours of descriptions and details on each of the Death Eaters old and new to indicate that he was finished. But Harry spoke up, "You still haven't told us the location of one of the Death Eaters."

Draco frowned, "That's all of the ones I know of, now, if you'll excuse me-" he stood to leave but Harry interrupted again.

"Where's your father?"

The room was silent again, everyone looking from Harry to Draco and back. The minister decided to break the awkward moment by speaking, "that's true, Mr. Malfoy, the location of Sr. Malfoy was never mentioned."

Draco growled, "I don't know where he is."

"You're lying!" Ron said angrily.

Hermione shook her head, "I don't think Draco would lie under the circumstances, now if you will excuse us," she also stood up, "I am going to show Mr. Malfoy where he will be staying. Minister, please contact me with information when you will be needing us again." The three Aurors took Draco by either side once more and led him out of the office.

"Ms. Granger," the Minister called before Hermione exited right after, "are you sure you won't be needing any extra protection?" he shot Draco who was outside of the room an uncomfortable look.

Hermione smiled, "I am pretty sure, Minister. I'll have him back here tomorrow." She turned to Harry and Ron, "good luck with the raid tonight at Macnair's." The two boys nodded and then she turned and left the room.

Once back inside of the ministry car Hermione spoke again to Draco, "Do you really not know where Lucius is?"

Draco shrugged, "Last time I saw him was when I was being arrested. He could be anywhere." He stared out of the window a far off look in his eyes.

Hermione sighed inwardly not wanting to get Draco upset, "Well, I would like to say that what you did today was right, I know the Minister is very happy with your help."

Draco snorted in disgust, "If making a man into a traitor makes him happy."

"I'm also happy with your decision." Hermione said quietly. Draco said nothing, but continued to stare out of the window.

A/N- Well that's all for this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it! Review for Draco! LPI3


	3. Coming around?

A/N- Thank you all! Lol, and Draco appreciates the reviews too I am sure! Well, here's chapter three…sorry it took so long, you just ever have one of those weeks were you don't feel like writing that much? Anyways, enjoy…LPI3

"So this is where I'll be staying, huh?" Draco asked walking into a small living room as he stepped into the front door. Everything was clean, almost as though no one lived there, the furniture looked clean and comfortable and everything matched, from the walls to the lampshades.

"This is it." Hermione grinned as she looked around her worthy living room. "I have a few house elf friends who always insist on coming and cleaning for me, I always leave some galleons, but they never take them…they're really sweet."

Draco rolled his eyes, "like I'd even care to know that, where's my room?"

Hermione walked upstairs, Draco close behind, and down the hall where two doors were on opposite sides of each other. "Your room," she said pointing to the one on the left, "and your bathroom." Pointing to the door on the right.

Draco nodded quietly, "Where's your room?"

Hermione seemed taken back by question this for a moment, "downstairs."

Draco passed Hermione and opened the door on the left. There was a single double bed in the corner by the wall. A large window that practically covered the back wall and a small closet and dresser sat across from the bed. It reminded Draco a lot of his old room, except his bed had been bigger and he had a mirror by the window.

"Do you like it?" Hermione asked hopeful, she loved when people would comment on her home.

"I just can't understand why the ministry would let you house a Death Eater." Draco said rather coldly closing the door to his memory and turning on Hermione.

"I told you Draco, I trust you, and the Minister trusts me, that's good enough for them." Hermione stepped back from Draco, "would you like some dinner? You look as though you haven't eaten in weeks."

Draco shrugged and followed her back down the stairs into a small room just passed the living room. Where a small table and two chairs sat and an open kitchen space for cooking.

"I told the ministry that I would watch you and that's what I intend to do." Hermione continued on pulling some items out of the fridge and pointing her wand at some pots, which flew to life and filled themselves with water to be boiled on the stove.

"I'm not a child anymore." Draco said quietly looking at a few framed pictures on the wall. Hermione, Harry, and Ron at Hogwarts, Hermione and her parents, Hermione and the Weasleys'. Draco looked at Hermione deeply in each picture, she seemed somewhat empty in all of thee photos then she did right now.

"I know you aren't a child, but you are someone who needs to be kept an eye out for," she turned to look at Draco, "it was either my house or the ministry holding cells."

Draco sat down at the table in one of the chairs waiting for dinner. "This is a really big house for only you."

Hermione shrugged chopping up some carrots, "well, I'm hoping to someday have a family, and then this will seem like a small house, but it's cozy for now. In fact, it's really nice having you here as company." She smiled down at her carrots, not looking at Draco who was staring at her.

"I had a pretty big house too." He said a far off look in his eye as if remembering what his house even looked like.

"Yeah, and you had your parents and a lot of money." Hermione placed a plate of spaghetti and fresh salad in front of Draco and handed his a fork.

Draco looked at the food but didn't touch it, "yeah, I was mostly there alone though." Hermione sat down opposite Draco and began twirling noodles onto her fork. "Mum was always gone with her sisters for weeks, and Dad usually was at the ministry, or shut up in his study." He scooped some saucy noodles onto his fork and shoved them into his mouth.

Hermione bit her lip. She never liked hearing about Draco's childhood, which was filled with sadness; she always felt pity for him, not hatred.

After three helpings of dinner by Draco and two pieces of mince pie for dessert, he and Hermione sat together on the couch, Draco on one side Hermione on the other, and yet a lot more comfortable with each other. They had spent the last three hours retelling stories of their Hogwarts days, and the air had seemed less intense.

"I am really glad you're back, Draco." Hermione said quietly closing her eyes and leaning her head on the back of the couch.

Draco only looked at her as she began slipping in and out of sleep; she looked so peaceful where she was. He had spent the last ten years of his life regretting ever letting her go and he didn't want to make that mistake again.

"Draco, why _did_ you leave me?" Hermione asked almost inaudible and dreamy sounding.

Draco paused for a moment, "I don't know." He said. That wasn't, however, the honest truth. Voldemort had been using him as tool to get close to Hermione so Harry would be an easier target. Draco would have done it, but there were chances that Hermione's safety was very slim. He had left her in hopes that he wouldn't have to do what was asked of him and merely told his father that she didn't trust him anymore. And he had refused to do anything that involved Hermione.

It was a miracle that the Dark Lord hadn't killed him, he merely said there was use for Draco later. And so there was, threatening to kill Hermione slowly and painfully if he did not kill the muggles who they wanted him to kill. He knew it was wrong, but he also knew that Hermione was the only important person to him anymore and he killed twenty muggles and three Order members who got in the way. It was then that he was caught and arrested, while the other Death Eaters, including his father, ran off leaving him there as their scapegoat.

Draco heard Hermione's soft breathing and realized she had fallen asleep. He leaned closer to her and ran a gentle hand through her soft frizzy hair, which she had let out of that tight bun just hours before. He wondered how long all of this would last, until his father and the rest of the remaining Death Eaters found out it was him and came to kill him and Hermione. It was for her safety that he was willing to do anything for them last time, what would he have to do this time for her?

Hermione woke up the next morning lying on her bed, a small blanket over her. She didn't remember going to bed, but then scenes from the night before played in her head and she figured Draco must have put her there when she fell asleep. She smiled laying back into her pillows. She had waited so long for Draco to come around again, and he was starting to break for her at last. Though, she couldn't help but notice that he seemed more distant and quiet then he used to be. Possibly Azkaban did that to you.

She rolled out of bed and searched in her closet for some clean clothes so she could take a shower. She turned with fresh clothes in her hand and stopped, staring at an object lying on her bed on the pillow next to hers that she hadn't even noticed, and that had not been there the night before. She had almost forgotten she even had it. Hermione set her clothes onto her bed and picked up the small slightly dusty stuffed animal dog, Benji. Memories flooded into her at once.

She had given it to Draco when his father was making him go home on weekends to do things that she didn't know about and didn't really want to. It was almost like a 'remember me' sort of thing when she had given it to him, and to keep him company when he needed it. It wasn't until five years when she had gone to visit Draco in Azkaban for the first time that she even remembered she had given it to him. Draco had given it back to Hermione telling her thanks.

Hermione hugged the small dog closely. It had been sitting on top of the mantle, and Draco must have seen it when he was putting her to bed. She placed the dog back onto the bed and proceeded to her shower.

Draco was already sitting at the table, reading the Daily Prophet, when Hermione walked in. "There isn't anything in here about me helping you lot." Said Draco without so much as a 'good morning'.

"No, of course not," said Hermione as though this was obvious, "we want to keep you protected, if one of your Death Eater friends were to- Harry!"

Draco snapped his head toward the door, his eyes narrowed at the tall skinny figure of Harry Potter. Hermione ran over to him and hugged him; Draco felt his insides grow hot.

"How are you?" Hermione asked, "are you staying for breakfast?"

Harry shook his head, "I just wanted to know if everything is alright here, that's all." He gave Draco a nasty look and then quietly said to Hermione, "are you alright?"

Hermione giggled, "of course I'm alright." Then she remembered something, "hey, how did the raid go?"

Harry shot Draco another dirty look, "We found him." Draco smirked and turned back to the Daily Prophet, "We snuck in there, tore apart the floor and cornered him in the cellar."

"That's wonderful, where's Ron, by the way?" Hermione asked noticing his absence.

"He's questioning Macnair to see if he can get anything out of him about the murders."

Hermione grinned, "wonderful!" she made another chair appear with a flick of her wand, "please stay for breakfast Harry, we would love to have you!"

"Speak for yourself," Draco growled turning a page in the paper.

Harry hesitated a moment but sat down in the chair. Hermione hurried back to her cooking and Draco continued to pretend to read. There were a few awkward moments of silence except for the bangs of pots and pans; Harry didn't take his eyes off of Draco.

Draco seemed to have noticed the staring, because he slammed his paper down and growled, "You got a problem, Potter?"

"Yeah, I've got a problem with you being here!" Harry shouted back, the cooking sounds had stopped.

"Well, incase you've forgotten, it was your little girlfriend that came and got me!" Draco's eyes flashed out of furry.

"Why didn't you just say 'no' then? Why are you here?" Harry demanded.

"I'm here so I can get out of that place that, I believe it was you that put me in there in the first place!"

"Yeah, and I'd put you back if I could!"

Draco opened his mouth to retort back, but was silenced by another voice, "Stop it, both of you!" Hermione was glowering at them both, making them sort of shrink away from her glares. "Harry, Draco is here to help us, and he has been a big help. Draco, incase you've forgotten, Harry hates you, and you'll have to live with that, so stop taking all of his snide remarks seriously, he's trying to get you roiled up." She set down their plates with something of a force and took her seat across from Draco.

Breakfast was pretty silent, Harry and Draco exchanged death glares at one another and Hermione fumed silently while watching this. Finally, to Draco's pleasure, Harry reluctantly left.

Hermione and Draco were once again sitting on the couch together, "I don't know why you two have to be like that." Hermione sighed.

Draco sneered, "Why didn't you ever get along with Professor Trelawny?"

"That's way different, she was a fraud who thought she knew everything about other people-" Hermione stopped noticing the look on Draco's face saying that she was making his point, and then added quickly, "plus she had a bad fashion sense."

Draco cracked a smile. Hermione grinned wide as she noticed this, it was an actual smile, not one that was forced or faked, but an actual real smile.

"You know Draco," she said quietly staring into his silvery gray eyes, "You should smile more, you look really good." She knew she was blushing again.

Draco slowly raised a hand to her cheek and cradled it there, "I hate smiling." He said with a smirk.

A/N- Thanks again for reading! And BTW, my other story Pressure should fill in all the holes if you are wondering about some things, so, if you have time waiting for me to update, may I suggest you check it out? Stay tuned! LPI


	4. Secret Hiding Places

A/N-Agh! I'm sorry I haven't written in like…forever! I've been slaking off, I know! Well, here's a new chapter, and I hope you all like it! LPI3

"He's not cracking." Ron said with a sigh walking out of the interrogation room where Macnair was being held. Harry, Hermione, Draco, the minister, and a few others were standing on the outside of the room waiting patiently for any news. Each Auror giving Draco nasty looks.

Harry shrugged, "we'll have to try Veritaserum."

"I don't think so, Potter." Draco said shaking his head slowly. He was standing further away from the others, more in the shadows, his arms folded across his chest, and leaning against the wall.

"Oh really? And why is that? If we can't break him we have to resort in the truth potion." Harry glared at Draco.

"Fine, do whatever you want." He paused and said a bit quieter, "you'll just kill him."

Everyone in the room turned to Draco, "What did you say?" The minister asked curiously.

"Do you really think that the Dark Lord is that dim?" Draco snorted, "You don't think he would have known that maybe one day his Death Eaters would be captured and trailed, and given Veritaserum?"

"Get to your point?" A squat plump Auror growled.

"My point, pudgy, is that the Dark Lord didn't want any of his secrets to be revealed that easily. Every Death Eater drinks this potion when he first starts out, so that when it's mixed with Veritaserum it will kill them. It's an easy way to keep his secrets."

"So you're saying that if Macnair or any of the Death Eaters drink Veritaserum, they will die?" Hermione's eyebrows rose, "I've never heard of such a thing!"

"So, all along all I had to do was give you some of that potion and you would have just keeled over?" Ron smirked. Draco gave him a rude hand gesture when Hermione turned her back on him to scold Ron.

"Then how come Barty Crouch wasn't killed when Dumbledore used Veritaserum against him?" Harry asked folding his arms across his chest.

"The Dark Lord was only just barely once again coming into power, he didn't start using it until he at full strength again, knowing that that was the time he needed to keep things away from the wizarding eye." Draco said.

"Well, if we can't give him Veritaserum, then what?" The minister asked running a hand through his hair.

"I'll talk to him." Draco said calmly.

"No." Harry said simply, "I'm not putting the two of them in the same room together."

"It's your only chance, I know him, I can get him to talk." Draco's eyes glinted in the shadows where he stood making everyone feel even uneasier.

"I think we should do it." Hermione said turning to the minister, "Draco may be able to get things out of him that we aren't. You at least have to let him try."

"If you put them together, they are going to talk." Harry warned.

"You want my wand, Potter? Take it. I'm useless without it. Or maybe you forgot that it's locked up in your vaults." Draco's upper lip curled.

"Alright, Mr. Malfoy, you can go talk to him, but you get five minutes." The minister said unlocking the interrogation room door.

Draco brushed past him, "I'll take as long as I need." He said and then slammed the door behind him. The others stood at the large window watching.

The room was dark and quiet when the door slammed shut behind Draco. He found it empty except for the portly large mean looking man in front of him sitting quietly at the table glaring at him. "Draco Malfoy? Is that really you?" he asked, his voice raspy.

"Macnair, good to see you old friend." Draco smirked.

"You're working for the ministry now?" Macnair spat, "I should have known you would go rabbit on us."

"Easy old man, I'm in the same hot water as you are." Draco sat down on the edge of the table in front of Macnair.

"They're watching aren't they?" Macnair said nodding in the direction of the invisible window where the others were watching intently.

"You know it." Draco rolled his eyes, "that's why I need your help. All you have to do is tell me where the others are, and I'll let you go."

"What did he just say?" Harry asked incredulously on the other side of the glass where Draco's voice was being magnified by speakers inside the room.

"It's part of his plan, I'm sure." Hermione said quietly trying to hush him up.

"Or he's saying that because he doesn't know we're listening." Ron said rolling his eyes.

"You know I can't do the Draco." Macnair said leaning back in his chair. "You'll just have to kill me.

"Oh, you can be sure they will, old friend, unless you help me. Not them, me." Draco stared into Macnair's eyes. "Tell me where the others are."

Macnair blinked a few times before stammering, "Lu-Lucius." He began to shake.

This time it was Draco's turn to blink, "Macnair, it's me, Draco." He stood from the table.

"You have his eyes. They are the eyes of a person who has seen much journey, and knows no rest. Never ending blackness that goes on for miles, one bad turn and you'll get lost in it forever. The deepest part of the forest. Heartless and cold just like he was. You are just like him." Macnair looked wildly into Draco's eyes.

Draco narrowed his eyes and grabbed the sides of the table pushing it with all his might into Macnair knocking the man to the ground. "I am not my father!" he yelled.

"Draco! Enough!" Draco turned to see all of the Aurors running into the room, their wands drawn.

Harry bent over Macnair, "out cold." He said checking the man's pulse.

"What exactly where you thinking?" The minister asked rounding on Draco.

"I was thinking about getting your stupid locations of the others." Draco growled.

"A lot of good you did us." Ron said sarcastically.

"Check again, carrot head." Draco smirked. "I got all the information I wanted."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"I mean," Draco said "I know the locations."

A/N- I know, I know, such a cliffhanger, and such a short chapter! I suck! Gosh! Oh well, I promise I will not wait another three months to update….maybe six, but not three. Lol, j/k. don't forget to review! And please, don't be shy to include where you think the other Death Eaters are hiding. LPI3


	5. Truly his father's son

A/N- Sorry, yet again, I have wasted another couple weeks doing nothing. I had started writing this chapter and I was almost finished with it, until I screwed up and erased it all. Sigh, such is life, so lets see if I can remember everything that happened. Enjoy! LPI3

"You know the locations?" Harry called after Draco, following him out of the room. "Do you mind sharing with us?" he asked coldly grabbing the blonde's arm and spinning him around. Hermione, Ron, and the minister were now standing next to Harry.

Draco glared at Harry for a moment, disgusted at the other boy's touch, "I would have thought that the famous boy wonder could have figured out a simple code. Harry narrowed his eyes furiously.

"Draco, what did he tell you?" Hermione asked quickly before Harry could open his mouth to fight back.

"He told me where the others are." Draco said turning to Hermione.

"He talked about your eyes, not a location." Ron said rubbing his right temple.

"He said, and I believe these were his exact words, _' They are the eyes of a person who has seen much journey, and knows no rest. Never ending blackness that goes on for miles, one bad turn and you'll get lost in it forever. The deepest part of the forest. Heartless and cold just like he was.'"_

Hermione let out a breath, "a map?" she asked as if speaking to herself.

"You got it." Draco smirked at her, something Harry noticed quickly.

"He's lying." The dark haired boy said.

"No, Harry," Hermione said quickly, "it makes a bit more sense now…I mean, the deepest part of a forest, miles of blackness, but, there's just one problem."

"We don't know where that is." The minister finished for her.

"You don't, but I do." Draco said in a bored tone. When the others stayed silent, all staring at him, he continued. "Way back in the thirteenth century, witches and wizards were being hunted because of their magic. Well, at the time, the wall between the muggle world and the wizarding world had not yet been put up, so the wizarding population created tunnels thousands of feet underneath London, so that they could escape persecution."

Hermione grinned, "of course! I used to read about those books in the Hogwarts library. They are still said to exist, but they haven't been used for years. The ministry closed off all of the entrances into it our safety."

"And it has been closed up, even before He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was born. There is no way anyone could have gotten down there." The minister said sticking out his chest as if it had been he who suggested that the tunnels be closed up.

"All entrances except one." Draco said, his eyes glinted, "The Dark Lord discovered it somehow, it was in the forbidden forest up at Hogwarts. He found it when he was going to school there and used it often. When he came into power, he decided to use it as sort of a hide away, for the Death Eaters and himself. When some of the Death Eaters began to vanish down there, he decided to stop using them because he was losing his followers."

"What happened to them?" Ron asked curiously.

"They got lost, there's thousands of miles of tunnels down there, Weasley, in complete and total darkness."

"That would explain a lot." Harry grumbled scratching his nose.

"Well, then. We know where the rest of the followers are, we just need to go get them now." The minister said clapping his hands together, "we can start out tomorrow and go find the entrance in the forest."

"You will need our help too." Hermione said quickly, "Draco and I can help you find your way."

"I will agree with Mr. Malfoy coming, but I would feel better if you stayed here at the ministry, Mrs. Granger." The minister said gently placing a hand on Hermione's shoulder before turning to leave, "Mr. Weasley would you please set up a team of your best Aurors?" Ron nodded and quickly followed the minister up the spiral stairs.

"Can you believe that?" Hermione exclaimed turning to Harry and Draco.

"I agree with him, Hermione, it's too dangerous." Harry said.

Hermione bit her lip frowning, "and what about you, Draco? Do you think I should go?"

Draco coughed a little, "I always believed in doing what ever I wanted, but I think maybe this is something you shouldn't do." He spoke quieter than usual.

Hermione huffed and turned on her heel and marched up the stairs.

Draco started after her, but Harry grabbed his arm once again and stopped him. "If you touch her, I swear, I will use every single curse I know on you." He whispered dangerously into Draco's ear.

Draco smirked, "you better get your wand out then." He pulled out of Harry's grip and ascended up the stairs, two at a time.

Hermione sat at her desk signing and reading over several papers when there was a knock on the door. In no mood to deal with any ministry intern, she ignored it. The knock grew louder and continued. Finally she yelled, "come in!"

The door opened slowly and Draco walked in, his hands behind his back. "Not very friendly, huh?"

Hermione sniffed and turned back to her papers, "what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at that meeting getting ready to head out?"

Draco took a seat on the edge of her desk, "I already went. And then snuck out." He smirked.

"That wont make the minister very happy, you know." Hermione said not looking him.

"I think he's already pretty mad at me."

Hermione now looked up, "what do you mean?" she asked.

Draco shrugged, "I told him I wasn't going to go if you weren't."

Hermione grinned a little, "really? You said that to him?"

Draco nodded, "yeah, he screamed pretty hard, but I said I wouldn't help him."

"Thank you, Draco." Hermione grinned wider, "really, it means a lot to me. Harry and Ron and all of the others are allowed to do all of the jobs, and I'm always stuck here doing paper work. I just don't feel wanted here. You know?" She paused and laughed, "Sorry, you really don't know, do you?"

Draco kept his face straight; in fact, he did know what it was like to feel unwanted. He had spent the last twenty-seven years of his life feeling unwelcome and unwanted; he knew very well what Hermione was saying. "You know, I saw something today and it instantly reminded me of you." He decided it was now time for his charm to come into play, he pulled out the object he had been keeping behind his back and held it out for Hermione.

She gasped and smiled, "where on earth?" she gasped out. Draco held out a beautiful dark orange and yellow rose, which had not yet fully bloomed yet, to her. She gently touched the barely opened petals and gasped again as the flower opened up all the way to reveal multiple colors inside. "Where did you find one of these, I've never seen one."

Draco smirked, "It's almost like magic, huh?" Hermione blushed at him and took the flower from his hands.

"It's beautiful, thank you." She conjured up a vase with water and placed the flower in it, and then set it onto her windowsill.

"The minister decided to let me go then?" She asked almost instantly changing the subject.

Draco rolled his eyes and groaned silently, she was so difficult to please, "yes, he said you could come, but I don't think I need to warn you that you will constantly be under the watchful eye of Potter and his pathetic sidekick, do I?"

Hermione shook her head, "let me just finish with a few more papers and then we can go home, all right?" She took Draco's silence and rolling of the eyes as an 'alright' and turned back to her work, "can you wait for me outside, you make me nervous just standing there."

Draco cocked a brow, "nervous, huh?" he walked casually behind Hermione and bent down low over her shoulder, his face next to neck, "does this make you nervous?" he asked slowly, he felt her shiver as he spoke and grinned at his success.

"Just go!" Hermione scolded and the door flew open, waiting for the unwanted guest to exit. Draco reluctantly walked out of the room and sat down on the chair by the door.

He had been sitting there no longer than ten minutes, when something caught his eye; he turned his head to a wall to the left with hundreds of papers stapled to it. He stood and made his way over to see what it was. When he got closer he could see photographs of different witches and wizards printed onto the papers, the word 'WANTED' typed boldly above. One wizard aside from the others caught his attention at once.

Right in front of Draco was the face of his face, glaring darkly at the boy, as if he had been actually caught and forced into the image and knew what his son was doing at that exact moment. Draco could feel his blood run cold. He stared into the older man's dark eyes and felt all of his father's hatred towards him pouring out of those eyes.

The words below the picture gave a description of his age, which was horribly off, his weight, which couldn't have been right, and a description of his features, which Draco knew was wrong since his father did not have two fingers missing. Draco stared amazed at the paper, how on earth could anyone get that sort of stuff wrong. He read the last little bit about where Lucius' last appearance was, 'the Leaky Cauldron'. Draco ripped the paper off of the wall with a growl and shoved it into his pocket. His father would never even think about entering that dirty pub, he drank in the finest most expensive wine parlors in London, not a locally owned smoke house!

When Hermione's voice called to him he turned fuming, and walked with her to the ministry car. He didn't speak at all, just stared gloomily out the window. "You look all bad moody, what's the matter?" Hermione asked breaking the eerie silence. Draco grunted, "well, maybe if you got it off your chest, it wouldn't be as bad."

Draco shook his head, "It's the ministry." He said quietly.

"Oh, them again."

"Well, when is it not, Hermione?" Draco turned and glared at her, "when have they ever done anything right for anyone?"

Hermione scowled, "all the time thank you very much."

Draco pulled the 'WANTED' parchment out of his pocket and handed it to Hermione. "Draco, you aren't supposed to take these!" she said grabbing the paper.

"Tell me how anyone is going to find him when they can't even get their own facts straight." Draco placed a hand on his forehead and continued to look out of the window.

"That's what's bothering you?" Hermione asked after she had read over it quietly. Draco stayed silent, "Draco, you have to understand something," she grabbed his arm and turned him to face her, "what's written in here are facts based on the last time he was seen."

"And since when does my father have three fingers, then?" Draco asked glaring at the paper in Hermione's hands.

Hermione sighed quietly, "Since his last battle against the Aurors."

Draco's brows furrowed in confusion, "what?" No way did his father lose anything in a battle; it was unthinkable.

"A lot of things have happened since you've been in Azkaban." Hermione looked sadly at Draco, as if she had thought he would know all about his father's doings, and didn't want to be the one to break it to him. "It was the final battle, with the Aurors and the Death Eaters. Lucius had gone after one of us, and was hit with a curse, it only ripped off two of his fingers, because it was accidentally aimed at him, but he has three fingers last time he saw him."

"Alright, maybe he has three fingers on a hand," Draco said disbelievingly, "how do you explain the weight, or the being seen in the Leaky Cauldron, I know for a fact that's wrong?"

Hermione drew a deep breath, "the night we went to go raid the manor, Lucius had already gone, burned the whole thing to the ground, he-"

"No." Draco said shaking his head, he pursed his lips tightly together, "he would never."

"He did, Draco, he must have not wanted us to find things in there, or wanted us to believe he had burned in the house, but he did burn it down. There was nothing we could do by the time we got there. The word is that Narcissa had left, and taken all of their money with her, just disappeared. Lucius had nothing after that, became a sort of," she paused searching for the right word, "beggar, if you please. He often got drunk in a pub, until the ministry put out posters for his arrest, no one has seen him since."

Draco hung onto every word, his mouth slightly open. This couldn't possibly be right, just a joke, or a plan Lucius had set to make people believe he was wasted and poor. Nothing like this was possible of happening to a Malfoy in only five years, it couldn't be. The car pulled to a stop in front of Hermione's house, but neither moved.

"I'm sorry, Draco, but he was a horrible father, and-"she stopped abruptly when Draco turned to her angrily.

"You know nothing of my father." He said darkly glaring evilly into Hermione's eyes. He threw open the door jumped out of the car, slamming the door behind him. Hermione sat in silence a moment, breathing hard, Draco had just scared her and she was beginning to think she didn't want him to stay with her tonight.

A/N- Alright, alright, I know, not a very good chapter, not much info and fun stuff happened, but in the next chapter, I think we may just take a look into Draco's past and see a bit of that, so I am looking forward to it. Does anyone even read my A/N's?…LPI3


	6. Heart to Heart

A/N- Alright, not too terribly long of a wait with this one, right? Yeah, I'm a liar. Well, anyways, thank you for all of the wonderful reviews I really appreciate them. It is about two in the morning, and I am extremely tired, but I decided I had better write this, or else I would probably never get around to doing it. Enjoy! LPI3

Draco sat quietly in the dark on the bed in the guest room Hermione had prepared for him. He had refused to come down for dinner, and after a half an hour of trying to coax him out of his solitude, Hermione had given up and went to bed.

He looked over at the clock hanging from the wall; it read three in the morning. However, Draco didn't feel one ounce of tiredness, as he knew he should. Something Hermione had said earlier was lagging in his mind, biting at every part of his soul; he could not escape it.

_"He was a horrible father."_

Back in their Hogwarts days, Hermione had found out about Lucius' abuse when she walked in on Draco in an empty classroom hurt badly. She had never actually realized what went on at the Malfoy manor before then, however. In fact, Draco had made sure nobody knew about it. He could never have faced anyone at school if they had found out he wasn't the spoiled prince they all knew and feared, but a scared little boy neglected by his family and destined to be a tool.

Draco pushed himself off of the bed and walked slowly over to the window and sat down on the sill. He looked out at the darkened deserted street below him. He knew Lucius would get wind that he was out of Azkaban and come looking for him. Why wouldn't he? Draco had refused to be the kind of son he wanted, and now that the Dark Lord was gone, there was no need for keeping him alive. Draco's lip arched, he could see his father now, telling him he was worthless and an insult to the name wizard. Not to mention he had turned snitch on his own people.

Draco hated himself for thinking it, but he sometimes wished Hermione would never have come into his life. Then he wouldn't be feeling all of these things, love, hate, guilt, and fear. It had been because of her and his decisions that made his father hate him so much. He remembered the summer after he had told his father he wouldn't harm Hermione, it was when his father had pretty much disowned him.

(Flashback)

"And you still refuse to do as I wish?" Lucius circled his son. They were in the study, Draco standing in the middle of the room, Lucius next to him, his silver snake cane tapping the floor with each step. The noise of each tap echoed off the walls and pounded hard in Draco's ears.

"I will do what you ask of me, father. But I will not harm Hermione." Draco lifted his chin a bit, he was scared out of his mind, he knew what his father could do and knew he wouldn't hesitate to do it. Still, he couldn't bring himself to show his emotions.

"You will never learn will you, boy?" Lucius shook his head slowly.

Draco swallowed a rather large lump in his throat, "no sir." He said calmly.

Lucius grabbed Draco by the back of the hair and pulled him closer to himself so that Lucius' mouth was next to Draco's ear, he whispered dangerously into it "Even though the Dark Lord has dropped the matter with the mudblood girl for right now, that does not mean I have, do you understand, Draco?"

Draco winced as Lucius' grip tightened, "yes sir." His head was released, and instead, received a sharp painful jab in the stomach from the snake cane his father carried. He doubled over slightly, grasping his mid section.

"It bothers me that you won't do what I tell you to do. I'm your father, I know what's good for you." Lucius glared down at the kneeling figure of his son, "get up." He growled through clenched teeth.

Draco looked up at his father and then pushed himself to his feet. "I've done everything that you have asked me to do, I don't understand why you can't let this one matter drop."

Lucius was quick to respond, "it's because you refuse to do this one thing that makes me so bitter, because she is your biggest weakness and you can't get rid of her. You know it, and I know it. You've tried to hide your true feelings about it, but you forget, I created you into what you are today, I know you better than anyone, and I know when you are feeling." He stood closer in front of Draco, their noses inches apart.

"I'm sorry, father." Draco said after a moments pause, "I guess you failed." He glared at his father.

Lucius grabbed the collar of Draco's shirt, "Mark my words boy, she will be the down fall of you. You will realize in the end that it was a mistake and your old man was right all along." He pushed Draco away from him, "you don't deserve the name Malfoy you're a disgrace." Lucius looked Draco over one more time and then spat on the ground before turning to leave.

(End flashback)

"Draco?"

Draco snapped back to reality at the sound of his name. He turned quickly to its origin at the door and saw Hermione standing there in her robe. "I thought you were asleep?" He said sliding off of the ledge.

Hermione shook her head, "I couldn't sleep, I was thinking about," she paused as if trying to find the words, "well, about what I said back in the car. I'm sorry Draco; it was out of line I shouldn't have said anything about your father, I-"

"Hermione, please." Draco said interrupting her; "I know you didn't mean anything from It." he stopped and sat down on the edge of the bed, "I just wasn't expecting what you told me."

Hermione nodded and moved towards Draco. She sat down on the edge next to him and grabbed his hand. "I know you were upset, but what I said it really got to you, didn't it? No, I didn't know your father, but I knew what he did to you," she paused, "or a little bit of what he did to you; but I want you to know that if this ever bothers you, I am here to listen and help you. You know that, right?"

Draco stayed silent for a moment and then nodded slowly. He sighed and stood from the bed to walk over to the window. He looked out over the empty dark street below. "My father's dead to me, his memories should die as well."

"You must have had some good memories growing up." Hermione said trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. She studied the back of Draco's head closely.

Draco shrugged, "I guess everyone has a few." After that he became quiet again.

Hermione took his silence to try and raise his spirits, "I remember this one time back when I was about seven, I really wanted this new bicycle, and I begged my parents non-stop for it." Draco's head turned a bit as if he were listening, Hermione continued, "It was this little pink and white bike with a horn, and plastic jewels on the tires that made noises every time the wheel turned. I really wanted it, but my parent's didn't have enough money for that particular bike. Then on my birthday, I came down stairs and there it was. They had been saving up almost all year just to buy it for me. I was so excited."

"That must have been wonderful." Draco said he was turned around again facing her. Through the darkness Hermione even thought she could make out somewhat of a smile. "I used to get racing broom's for birthday's, but never a bike. My dad said they were toys muggle children played with and I was to have no part in them. Secretly though, I used to always want to ride one. I would always see the other children outside riding them around, and it looked like loads of fun."

"Bikes were a lot of fun, but racing brooms, that had to be even better fun." Hermione smiled. She didn't like brooms or anything about flying, but she figured she could say it to make Draco feel better.

"Oh yeah, it was the best, I used to fly everywhere. But I never got anything that I really ever wanted as gifts. I always got the newest, best, and most expensive anything that had just come out on the shelves, I would have been happy with something cheap and old." Draco said with a shrug, "but that was Lucius Malfoy for you, always had to be number one, always had to have his son be number one."

"It must have been hard having him put so much pressure on you like that. And here we always thought you were a spoiled brat growing up." Hermione said softly with a small smile.

"Yeah, well, I never gave anyone reason to believe otherwise, did I? I figured if maybe I was like my father, he would love me more or something."

Hermione let out a small breath, "oh, Draco." She said quietly.

Draco shrugged again and laughed a little, "It's no big deal it isn't like it was going to happen anyways. Besides, it looks like I'm more better off than he is right now."

"Well, I want you to know that you'll always have me as a friend." Hermione said placing a hand on his back. Draco couldn't help having a sudden urge to madly kiss her right then and there; and as if Hermione had read his mind she stood up, "I'm going to go back to bed, you should try to get some sleep as well, big day tomorrow."

"Yeah, alright." Draco said. He watched Hermione leave and cursed himself for having that sudden urge. "How exactly does she expect me to sleep when she just leaves me feeling like this?" he asked out loud to one in particular. But he did eventually climb into his bed and lay down on the soft pillows, his hands behind his head.

He wasn't at all tired, so he thought instead about all that had happened to him since the day Hermione had come and got him out of Azkaban. Which seemed like forever ago. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to go straight back there after all of this was over, immunity or no. If Potter had anything to do with anything, Draco was as good as shipped back with no return address. Draco smirked to himself; he wasn't going to go back to that place, no matter what. He would just have to run and hide, just like his father.

A/N- Short, yes, I know, but hopefully I will be able to do better with this story. Sorry again for the horribly long wait! LPI3


	7. Trap!

Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter….man I hate these…

A/N- As I said before, sorry…but don't give up hope on me just yet! Enjoy!

HPHP

Draco turned over on his bed and looked out at the dark sky through the window. He had heard a noise, perhaps a faint 'pop,' he was sure of it. Cautiously, he stood and made his way towards the window and peered out. There, almost hidden in the darkness of the night stood a lone shadowy figure, just standing on the opposite side of Hermione's front gate. The shadow of what appeared to be a man looked as though it were waiting for something, but what?

Quietly Draco traveled down the hall towards the front door. The house was silent and dark, a floorboard under Draco's feet creaked as he stepped on it passing Hermione's room, worried that he might have woken her from the noise, Draco paused and stood still until her soft breathing inside of her room reassured him that she was still fast asleep.

The tall dark figure still stood waiting outside by the time Draco had managed to quietly slip out of the house. The reassurance of his wand tucked ready and waiting into his belt made the trip over to the man a lot easier. The man spoke once Draco was closer and at once he realized who it was.

"Nice improvement from your cell in Azkaban, eh Malfoy?"

"Extremely, Zabini." Malfoy growled back. He stopped several feet from his long time enemy and, only on occasion, his ally.

"We heard you had gotten out, word about your enemy travels fast when your in hiding." Blaise's voice was full of bitterness and hatred. He folded his arms across his chest as he spoke.

"Whose 'we'?" Draco asked also folding his arms.

"The remainders of our kind, loyal Death Eaters until the end. You wouldn't know anything about that though, would you, Malfoy. You blood traitor." Blaise spat at Draco's feet. It was all Draco could do from attacking him right there. How dare he call him a blood traitor?

"Who was the one that was thrown into Azkaban for his loyal service to the Dark Lord? It wasn't you, Zabini. You all so called 'loyal followers' went into hiding, like scared little animals. Do you think the Dark Lord would have approved of your behavior? Besides, it's only a matter of time before you are all found and killed anyways."

"A lot sooner than later, as I hear it." Blaise said quietly.

"What are you talking about?"

"I've told you, word gets around. You're working with _them _now. You're going to lead the Aurors to us in exchange for your freedom, isn't that right?" Draco could see Blaise's yellow eyes gleam in the darkness. They shone with rage.

Draco smirked, "I must say, you're as stupid as you look! And I don't have any idea what you mean." He could tell he was getting under the other man's skin, something he enjoyed doing.

"The other's seem to think you can still be trusted though." Blaise said after a moment, "I don't however, I know you're the same old Mudblood loving-"

"Is there a reason you're here?" Draco asked impatiently, "or did you just miss me?"

Blaise growled quietly, "the others, they sent me here to tell you," He hesitated, "that they are going to be waiting for the Aurors, and that once they think that they have us trapped, we are going to need your help to turn the tables."

"You want me to help set up a trap for the Aurors?"

"Yes, in fact we do. If you're still faithful, as you say you are, I'm sure you won't have any problems doing that, right?" Draco could hear the mocking behind Blaise's voice.

"Of course not." Draco said slowly. His mind was turning quickly trying to think of what to say, "But to tell the truth, the Aurors haven't even decided whether or not to go just yet-"

"Well then make sure they decide by tomorrow." Blaise interrupted, "because if the others find out you are double crossing us, believe me, you won't be able to run fast enough or far enough." Just as he turned to leave, he paused again and then turned back to Draco, "Your father also sends his regards."

Draco was taken aback, "my f-father is there?" he stammered.

"Yeah, wanted me to tell you that he's proud of you. Don't forget the plan, Malfoy." And with those last words, Blaise turned on the spot and disappeared.

Draco stood still for several moments. His father said he was proud of him? Had Blaise been talking about the same man? Surely he had to have been mistaken. But a rising feeling inside of Draco's chest kept telling him it was the real thing, but the sinking feeling inside his gut told him not to be absurd, it was all just wishful thinking, something that was just said to get Draco to do whatever his father wanted him to do. The approaching dawn finally urged Draco back inside the house.

HPHP

"Over there," Draco nodded his head in the direction of a great mountain of large boulders all piled against each other as if thrown haphazardly in the middle of the forest.

"That's the entrance?" Ron asked peering out from behind the bushel of shrubs he, Harry, Draco, Hermione, and five other Aurors were hiding behind.

"That's the one." Draco said in a monotone voice, he didn't bother to hide his boredom or dislike of being back on Hogwarts grounds. The group had been traveling all day through the thick trees and bushes. It was no easy journey, and none of them had ever really appreciated how big the forest actually was.

Harry gave Draco a shove, "so go ahead."

The two glared for a moment into each other's eyes, green against gray, until Draco let out a breath and pushed forward out of the brush. "What's this? Potter plans to use me as the bait?"

"Better you die then me." Harry responded.

"Boys, please," Hermione scolded, "This is a little bit more important then your silly childish fighting."

Draco stood at the entrance to the tunnels and then turned back to the group of hiding Aurors, "alright, I'm not dead yet, obviously no one's home." At those words, several heads popped up behind the bushes and the Aurors made their way cautiously towards Draco.

"We are going to have to mark the cave walls in order to find our way out," Ron said gathering his team together, "we are going to be splitting up into different teams, it'll cover more ground that way. If you see a Death Eater use stunning spells only. And whatever you do, don't lose the people in your teams, stay together." And with that the Aurors broke off into pairs and headed into the darkness of the caves.

"Alright, you think it's safe to just leave Malfoy tied up out here on a tree or something?" Ron asked smirking at Harry. Only he, Harry, Hermione and Draco remained on the outside of the cave.

"Hilarious, Weasley." Draco muttered rolling his eyes. Harry Sniggered. "I'll be more than willing to patiently wait right here for you to return…if you return."

"Well, I wouldn't want you to get too lonely out here all by yourself, Malfoy. No, I think it's better if we bring him in with us, that way we can keep an eye on him and he can't run off." Harry said to Ron who nodded in agreement.

"I'll go with him." Hermione said quickly, the three boys turned to her curiously.

"You and Malfoy alone underground and in the dark?" Ron said, a look of disgust clearly on his face, "No way, I don't like it."

"Honestly, boys!" Hermione said angrily, "I am a grown women and very capable of making my own decisions and taking car of myself, I've been doing it for a long time! I'm taking him!"

Hermione's outburst caught all of the boys a little off guard for a moment, "alright," Harry said hesitantly, "but stay close to Ron and my location." Hermione nodded and grabbed Draco harshly by the arm and pulled him into the cave.

"Wow, are you always this rough when you're angry?" Draco joked as darkness overtook the two. He could feel her nails digging into his arm, he leaned his face closer Hermione's and whispered, "Because I'll tell you, it's sort of a turn on."

Hermione shuddered at Draco's hot breath on the side of her face and quickly loosened her grip on him. "Sorry!" She said rather awkwardly and lit the tip of her wand. She could see Draco's smirking face in the dim light, only making her face grow more crimson.

They walked slowly down one dark tunnel after another, Hermione remembering to mark each with a bright green 'X' from her wand. They stayed silent for the most part, listening to the distant footsteps coming from the many tunnels around them, whether they were friend or foe, they did not know.

Draco began getting more nervous, how was he supposed to get Hermione out of this? He couldn't lead her into a trap, the others he didn't really care about, but he couldn't do anything that would harm Hermione, he wouldn't. He began thinking up excuses for them to turn back.

"We've gone down pretty far," he whispered from behind her, "we should probably head back up, I'll bet that the others are out by now."

Hermione didn't even turn to acknowledge him, but continued to walk forward, further into the dark abyss. "Come on Draco, we can't let the other's find _all_ of the Death Eaters, don't you want to at least find _one_ for ourselves?" she giggled a little at the thought.

Draco rolled his eyes, _'you're going to have your fair share in Death Eaters, Hermione don't you worry about that._' He thought with a grimace. He was about to make up another reason as to why they should retreat, when there came a terrible scream from up ahead somewhere. They both froze.

"Did you hear that?" Hermione asked, fear written all over her words. Draco merely nodded, guilt crushing his insides. "We have to go!" She began to run forward, but Draco quickly grabbed her arm, yanking her back.

"Draco, what-"

"I can't let you go, Hermione. We don't know what's out there."

Hermione struggled in Draco's tight grip, "One of the Aurors could be in trouble, Draco! We need to help! It could be Harry or Ron!" She struggled harder and Draco wrapped his arms tightly around her body, mostly to keep her from escaping, "please let go!" she cried.

"No! I'll go, but I need you to go back up to the forest and wait." Draco had to give Hermione some credit; despite her small features she was a persistent and strong woman!

He was barely keeping his grip on her, when another distraught scream echoed through the tunnel. That seemed to be the last straw for Hermione; she elbowed Draco hard in the stomach, causing him to instantly let go of her, and then ran forward down the tunnel.

Draco had not been prepared at all by Hermione's attack, and by the time he got air back into his lungs a few seconds later, the dim glow from her wand was already beginning to vanish in the darkness ahead. Cursing himself for not just stunning her in the first place, he took off running after her. Soon enough she would find out the truth about him.

The end of the tunnel opened up into a large and spacious dirt room. From the looks of it, Death Eater conferences were probably held in this area. Lit torches burned brightly from their holders all along the walls the room, causing a dramatic change on the eyes from being so long in the dark tunnels. Draco arrived just in time to see the Aurors herding the now wandless Death Eaters all into the middle of the room, and binding them with what seemed to be invisible rope. He instantly spotted Hermione, chest heaving, standing by Harry and Ron.

Harry turned to Draco as he entered, "Ah, glad you could make it, Malfoy. We were just getting ready to send your pals here back to Azkaban where they belong. Care to join?"

Draco opened his mouth to retort some insult or smart comment, but stopped when someone else called out to him.

"Draco! Draco, my son!"

Draco's eyes instantly searched the tight crowd of Death Eaters for his father. Standing close to the back of the group was Lucius Malfoy. Anger built inside Draco the longer he looked at his father's appearance. The man was somewhat malnourished and dirtier than Draco had ever seen him in his life. But the anger inside Draco was not focused on his father however, but on the Aurors surrounding him instead, and on the ministry for turning Lucius into this…this…filth.

His thoughts were interrupted as one of the Aurors, Ernie MacMillan, thrust the captive wands into Draco's arms. "There ya' go, Malfoy, do somethin' useful and put these over there, would ya'?" He indicated to the opposite wall.

Grumbling, Draco hurried as quickly as he could to the far side of the room, careful not to look at the group of Death Eaters who believed he would be breaking them out any second now.

"Draco!" Lucius hissed squirming against the invisible bonds as best he could to reach his son. Draco paused, but did not look at his father, "Draco, now's the time!" He spoke in a harsh whisper so no one else could hear him.

"Oi, Malfoy!" Harry had seen Draco's halt and Lucius next to him speaking quietly, "keep moving, Malfoy! No conversing with the prisoners."

And then, before anyone had even realized what had happened, the jinx around the prisoners was broken, and the wands were flying out of Draco's hands and back into their owners'. The Death Eaters began to dissaperate and then reappear behind groups of Aurors, holding them at wand point.

"Drop your wands, all of you!" One of the Death Eaters called out, he grabbed Ron roughly from behind and placed his wand directly under Ron's chin. Slowly the Aurors began dropping their wands to the floor, where they were then summoned into a corner of the room, well away from their owners.

Draco looked around, everything had happened so quickly, he hadn't meant for this!

Suddenly, a dark low cackle sounded through out the room, echoing off the walls around them, making the noise almost magnified. It was a laugh Draco knew all too well. Lucius made his way into the middle of the room, so as to be seen and heard from everyone. He looked at all of the Aurors struggling being against their captors.

"Well, well, well," he said still chuckling slightly, "It looks like the tables have turned on our dear friends." He paused and then raised his voice slightly, "Wouldn't you say so, Draco?" All eyes turned to look at the blond young man, still standing awestruck towards the back of the room.

"I knew we couldn't trust you!" Harry was shouting angrily, struggling to get the strong hands that held him off. He received a sharp blow to the midsection and double over. Hermione screamed.

It wasn't until her scream that Draco finally caught up with what was happening. His eyes spotted her instantly; she was in the arms of Zabini, sobbing out of fear. "Harry, Harry, are you alright?" she called frantically to her friend.

Zabini backhanded her, "Be silent you filthy Mudblood!" he growled. Now all of Aurors began to shout out and struggle harder.

Draco made his way forward towards Hermione, anger couldn't even begin how to describe how he was feeling, he wanted to rip Blaise apart, piece-by-piece and watch him scream! But his mission came to an abrupt stop when a hand shot out in front of him blocking his way. Lucius Malfoy was once again standing in the way.

"I must say, Draco, we couldn't have done it with out you," he turned to face his son, his eyes flashed evilly, "and I think we all owe you a 'thank you', for helping us out of this little predicament." He sneered at his son. Laughter filled the room as the Death Eaters began all giving their thanks to Draco.

"I didn't do anything!" Draco growled at his father.

Lucius put a hand to Draco's cheek and patted it softly. Draco pulled instantly away from his father's touch, "Come now, Draco, don't be so modest! If you hadn't informed us that you were bringing the Aurors down here in the first place, we would all be on our way to Azkaban right now!"

The room once again filled with laughter. Draco opened his mouth to protest, but was interrupted by Lucius once more, "lets take our prisoners down into the cellars, shall we?" he called out and the Aurors began being pushed and kicked out of the room through one of the tunnel exits.

"Zabini, one moment, if you will" Lucius called to the Death Eater holding Hermione, Blaise turned and waited, "Why don't we let Draco help Ms Granger down to her cell, what do you think?"

Blaise smirked and pushed Hermione roughly at Draco, she stumbled, but he managed to catch her gently. "You know the way, Draco." Blaise said in a mocking voice.

Draco turned and led Hermione from the room, once they were in the tunnels again, Hermione yanked out of his grip, "I can walk myself!" she said angrily. Draco could tell she was still crying.

"Hermione, I didn't-" He reached out to grab her hand, there was a loud _'smack'_ as her hand connected with the side of his face. Draco took a step back a hand on his cheek, it hadn't hurt he was just shocked.

"I trusted you!" She cried and tried to hit him once more, but Draco firmly caught hold of both her wrists before any contact could be made. They struggled for a moment, before Draco finally overpowered her and pushed against the wall, holding her there.

"Hermione, stop!" He yelled angrily. She stopped struggling, but only cried harder. She didn't even look into his face, but only at the ground. "I didn't do this! I don't know how they knew we were coming, or how those wands got away from me, but I didn't do it!"

Hermione took several deep breaths before saying quietly; "take me to the others, Malfoy."

"Hermione-"

"Now!"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her, "fine," he growled and began leading her once more down the tunnel to where the cellars were.

Protective charms had been placed around the cells, so that no one could apparate in or out, and no magic could be used inside. Once they reached them, Draco unlocked the door with a flick of his wand. "I'm going to get you out of here." He whispered in her ear.

Hermione yanked free from Draco and marched into the dimly lit cell herself, without even a second glance behind her.

HPHP

A/N- Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Stay tuned for more! Don't forget to review! LPI3


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